The world is indeed
by nessa-melwasul
Summary: The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.


Disclaimer: Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Nooooooooo Ownnnnnnnnnnnn!!  
  
Dedication: For Emily - the one who calls me Arwen. =)  
  
A/N: One of my friends has this as her e-mail signature:  
  
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The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.  
  
--Haldir  
  
I was inspired. What else can I say? Elvish speech is notated in ~~'s like so: ~blah blah.~ Speech in the common tongue is notated in ""'s like so: "blah blah." It might SOUND a little bit like slash, but it's NOT ok? I'm telling you, this is NOT slash. This is, however, Legolas's POV. Review, or not, it's not like I care.  
  
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"It is a lament for Gandalf."  
  
"What do they say about him?"  
  
"I have not the heart to tell you...for me the grief is still too near," I breathe, listening intently to the beautiful Elvish voices. The only other in our company who understands the song is Aragorn. I watch him, thinking to speak with him, but instead he sits with Boromir. I know better than interrupt....so I start walking. As I walk the song floats after me, the haunting melody invading my very soul. I'm crying, not noticing where my feet are taking me.  
  
~Mellon nin, why do you weep?~  
  
I jump, not realizing that my close friend, the March Warden of Lorien, had followed me. His tone is serious and caring, the tone a long-time friend should have, but I shrug him off. ~Weep? You are hearing things.~  
  
~Hah, I would not lie to me, if I was you,~ he says. ~You know that you cannot hide from your best friend.~  
  
I try to smile. He's teasing me...we both know it. Playing along, I say, ~You would not be here in this mess, if you were me, for you have more sense than I, dear friend.~ My smile wanes and my face turns serious...my attempt at playing has failed woefully. He watches me from behind...we both know that I can't keep up this nonchalant façade for long. I turn to face him, tears slowly tracking down my face. ~Why, Haldir? Why? Why must all these evil things happen? Why must there be such peril and grief in this age?~  
  
We sit, resting, leaning on the trunk of a mallorn tree, taking mutual comfort in each other's presence. Finally he turns to me and says, ~The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater. Do you not see Legolas? This is why there must be grief. So that there can be love. That is why there must be evil. So that there can be peace.~  
  
I look at him, trying to read the unspoken meaning in his eyes. ~I know that there is some hidden meaning in your words, meant to encourage me and give hope and strength to me anew. But my path is hidden from me, and I cannot see what you try to reveal.~  
  
My best friend grips my shoulder, whispering, ~All things have a purpose. Everything happens for a reason. From the birth of the smallest field mouse to the impending battle for the end of the earth, they all have a reason. And in this I find great hope.~ He bores into me with his eyes...almost searching for something, what I cannot tell.  
  
~Well,~ I slowly begin, ~if all things have a purpose, even things that are evil, then I suppose that all we can do is trust things to play out the way they must...?~ I look to him for confirmation...because I don't have much faith in what I just said.  
  
Rising and offering me his hand, he simply says, ~Yes.~ I take his hand up and we walk together for a while longer, simply existing together and being in harmony with the world. With a deep sigh he says, ~Well my friend, would you have me stay with you or return to my post?~  
  
He's playing again. I grin and musingly say, ~Hmmm....me over the land of Lorien....oh, what a terribly hard choice....~  
  
Whacking me gently on the arm, he cries, ~Ah yes, Legolas Greenleaf is in conflict AGAIN!!~ We both start laughing, running and chasing each other like the smallest of elflings. Falling on the grass, laughing so hard we're gasping for breath, I feel peace again, peace like I have not felt in a long time. I know that my companion feels it too. We lay there, in peace, for a length of time that I cannot measure. Rolling over to face me, Haldir says in a low, merry voice, ~What did I tell you? Even out of grief and peril there can rise joy and love and peace. My love for you is as strong as that for my brothers, and you have my fealty till the end.~  
  
~And you mine. Till the end of the earth, Haldir of Lorien, we shall hold oaths of loyalty to each other, and share a strong and mutual bond of brotherly love.~ He murmers his consent, and helping each other up, we strike out for the place where the Fellowship is lodged. We walk in silence, arm-in-arm; for we do not need words now. We are bonded in deep friendship once more, and we each finely attuned to the other. When we reach the edge of the camp he turns to leave, but I grab his shoulder and say, ~Whether by fate or chance our paths crossed this night, I thank you. You can always lift my spirit, mellon nin.~  
  
He grips my arm on his shoulder. Locking eyes with me, he says, ~And you mine. Farewell Legolas Greenleaf, I hope our next meeting comes swiftly.~ And with that, he is gone.  
  
Walking back into the camp, I hear a sound that rises faintly over the snoring of Gimli and the men and hobbits. It is a hobbit that makes this sound, but this particular hobbit is crying, not sleeping peacefully like the others. As I approach closer, I find that it's Frodo. I carefully thread a path around the other sleeping forms to where he is. "May I join you?"  
  
He glances up and looks pointedly at an empty patch of ground beside him. I sit. "What troubles you, young one? Why do you weep?" Almost before the words are out of my mouth it hits me: I am acting and sounding just like Haldir did earlier this evening.  
  
"I looked into the Lady Galadrial's mirror, Legolas. I saw what will happen if the Quest fails. And...and I'm not sure if I can do it." He looks at me with large mournful eyes. "Everything in this world, indeed, even the very world itself, lies on me, on MY shoulders and I do not know if one hobbit can bear all of the world."  
  
Sitting back and thinking a moment, I murmer, "I had a talk with an old dear friend earlier this evening. This is what he told me." ~The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.~  
  
Frodo frowns, trying to translate. "I'm sorry, it's late and my Elvish isn't too good." I laugh, a melodious, free laugh, the way I laughed with Haldir.  
  
"Yes, yes, well, Master Baggins, since you are no translator...." I wink at him. "I shall translate for you." ~The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.~ "The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."  
  
He looks up at me, confused, already drawing breath to ask questions. "Nay," I say, "do not ask questions. Merely think, and while you are thinking, I will tell you a story about the stars." We lean back against the trunk of a mallorn tree, and I launch into my tale.  
  
-FIN- 


End file.
